Tag: film

The scene descriptions in your screenwriting have a tricky, sometimes tumultuous, relationship with script readers. How so, you ask? Some script readers scan through screenplay scene description to speed up their reading process. I’ve spoken to studio level readers who read scene titles and dialogue. This approach tells them the story and gives them an…

What the heck is this sub-genre of comedy films that are cropping up on our screens? Well, filmmakers aren’t being rude. They just want audiences to know that screenwriters toiled over their keyboards to write “dumb” gags. They are purposefully farcical and deserve more respect than dumb comedies which are poorly developed and badly written….

No sir. For starters one begins with an ‘s’ and the other with a ‘p’. Story has five letters and plot has four. Enough frivolities. Your screenplay is a delicate, finely-tuned literary instrument. Screenwriters must be well aware of these two terms to ensure the integrity of their screenwriting. Although both terms are inextricably linked,…

The traditional goal for a screenwriter was to get your screenplay optioned or sold. Then it was updated to becoming a produced screenwriter. Even more recently, the mantra is that screenwriters should produce their own films. That’s it, folks. We are now bona fide film producers. We must learn how to fund a film. Raising funds…

One issue screenwriters commonly face is writing a distinct voice for each character. Every character sounds the same in the first draft of many screenplays. Let’s take a look at dialogue and see how voice can be tailored to each character. But first, let’s define our terms. Dialogue is simply the words that are spoken. Voice is how…

The film making and film distribution world has changed dramatically. Gone are the days when screenwriters could easily sell their screenplays to Hollywood producers for a million bucks. The modern sobering reality is that screenwriters must now play some role in getting their movies produced. They need to become bona fide movie producers. After you’ve dazzled…

Film making is a visual medium. Screenwriters are always told that less dialogue is more. Does this axiom also apply to scene description too? Well… kinda sorta… Dialog constitutes the primary colors of your film or TV script. The scene description is the shading. It is more than simply describing physical action. It needs to…

Let’s get one thing clear. Nobody sets out to make a bad movie. Not knowingly at least. Here are some things that could go wrong in the filmmaking process: 1) VANITY PROJECT The filmmaker wanted to showcase their talents; or lack thereof. They have a crew, resources, investment, locations etc. but nothing that is story…

Superheroes are the subject of many of the highest grossing films on a global scale. They resonate so powerfully with movie audiences because they may be considered a metaphor for god. Screenwriters can powerfully exploit this. They linger in the background of human consciousness and only unfurl their wrath in extreme circumstances. Regardless of their actions, they…

There are script notes and there are script notes in the screenwriting world. The same goes for the people that write them. Few appreciate the difficulty of deep story analysis. Screenplays contain elements of mythology, sociology and anthropology. They help define what makes us human. What kind of script reader are you? When a story is…

Scriptwriters should always be working on multiple screenwriting ideas. Hopefully not all at once. You’d be amazed at how you can come up with story ideas for one screenplay while working on another. This is the beauty of being a screenwriter. Having many projects in development. At some point we need to decide which screenplay…

A PASS grade on a screenplay is not like a pass grade in school. Screenwriters want a RECOMMEND. Or at least a CONSIDER. 1) YOU CAN’T FIGURE OUT THE TYPE OF STORY IT IS Oftentimes these appear as a series of loosely connected scenes or ideas without a clear through line. The genre, tone, premise…